Please Don't Ever Make the "Hashtag" Finger Gesture

You know that "quote" thing people do in the air with their fingers? There's a move afoot to introduce a similar thing for illustrating Twitter hashtags, letting fashionable media types add a "hashtag" to their conversation without actually having to say the word.

The idea is that consenting adults, when having a conversation in the real world, could indicate something is hashtaggable by crossing two fingers of both hands together, forming an urban street gesture that roughly approximates the appearance of the # key as used on the popular social network.

The idea, which makes us feel rather dirty and slightly nauseous, sounds very stupid, but we have already witnessed people casually throwing the word "hashtag" into their conversations, albeit only within the safe media bubble world of some of London's more understanding bars.

We're maybe only six months away from seeing this finger gesture out there in the real world. It might be a good idea to begin carrying a meat cleaver or pair of garden secateurs around with you at all times, as the only sensible course of action to take upon seeing it would be the immediate removal of the fingers of the person responsible. [Guardian]